


believe in all the possibilities

by Karla_Writes



Category: Free!
Genre: Actor!Haruka, Alternate Universe, Barber!Makoto, M/M, harumako, makoharu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-17
Updated: 2014-09-17
Packaged: 2018-02-17 19:58:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2321477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karla_Writes/pseuds/Karla_Writes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto is on the verge of losing all he's ever worked for, but a strange twist in fate may just be what he needs. </p><p>Or,</p><p>How Makoto's mundane life gets turned on its head with the arrival of a person he'd long forgotten.</p>
            </blockquote>





	believe in all the possibilities

**Author's Note:**

> I should probably not start another multi-chaptered fic, but these last episodes of Free! ES have slaughtered my heart. 
> 
> Will also be posted on tumblr: orcaliciousity 
> 
> *UnBeta'd, OOC, there's a plot, I think. Also, past mentions of Kisu/Mako.
> 
> Title taken from the lyrics of P!ATD's song "C'mon" (ft. FUN)

“Thank you very much, Tachibana-san.” The woman bowed before pulling her young boy out of the barbershop. Makoto smiled, waving at the pair as they left.

The day had progressed as any Wednesday, slow and uneventful. He’d had three customers, aside from the woman and her child, and they’d all been men who had only asked for a clean shave. 

“Not fair,” Nagisa Hazuki, a petite blond of twenty-one, whined. The blond was lounging on one of the empty styling chairs, pouting. “I didn’t get a chance to do anything today.” 

Makoto threw a sympathetic look towards the blond. He’d met Nagisa around four months ago. The colorful young man had walked into his shop and had begged Makoto to hire him. Makoto had been unsure in the beginning. The blond was far better suited for a trendy salon rather than a family-owned barbershop where most of the customers were older men and children. Nagisa had insisted that he had already worked at a high-class beauty salon and had hated it. The young man had pleaded with Makoto and the brunette had eventually agreed on hiring him. 

“It was a typical Wednesday.” Makoto said, moving toward the shop’s entrance and flipping the open sign to Closed. He shut the blinds and locked the door. 

“Even so, didn’t it seem slower?” Nagisa asked as he got up to help the brunette clean, though there wasn’t much to do. 

“Perhaps,” Makoto paused, leaning on the handle of his broom. Nagisa stopped as well and turned to face the other man. 

“Nagisa-kun, I think you should start looking for another job.” Makoto met Nagisa’s wide pink eyes, guilt and sadness mingling in his heart. 

“You’re a wonderful stylist, Nagisa-kun, and your talent is being wasted here. Also, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to keep this place running.” Makoto explained. The shop was just not making much profit, and it was quickly depleting Makoto’s finances. If things continued as they were, the shop would have to be closed in less than a month. That thought caused his heart to clench painfully, but he could no longer keep lying to himself. 

“Then, please allow me to stay until that time.” Nagisa said, words unwavering and strong. Makoto was beyond surprised, if not a little confused. 

“Why are you so bent on working here?” Makoto stopped sweeping and eyed Nagisa carefully. The young man had been helpful and great company, but Makoto could not stop himself from wondering why he insisted on working here of all places. The boy was far too young to go to waste in a slow-paced setting. 

Nagisa smiled, “My mother used to bring my sisters and me here when we were little.” 

“Oh?” Makoto could say nothing more than that, still not completely understanding the younger man.

“I always liked coming here. You’re dad was always very nice, and, I don’t know, I just wanted to come back. It’s silly, I know.” Nagisa shrugged his shoulders, his eyes sweeping around the shop. Nostalgia suddenly gripped Makoto’s heart. He’d spent most of his childhood in this very shop, helping his father with minor chores until he was old enough to learn. He had plenty of fond memories of his childhood, but the ones associated with his father’s shop were the closest ones to his heart. If Nagisa felt the same way, then who was he to take that from him. 

“If you insist then there isn’t much I can do.” Makoto sighed, lips quirking up a fraction. The more he thought of it, the more he vaguely recalled a bubbly little blond boy. 

They finished the rest of the cleaning with little chatter and were soon on their way home. Makoto waved good bye to Nagisa before going in the opposite direction of the blond, pulling his jacket’s hood over his head. He’d forgotten his umbrella again, even after he had set it right next to his door. At least all that was falling now was drizzle, nothing too cold-inducing. Makoto hastened his step when he saw the train station come into view. He was eager to get home and relax with a nice dinner and some much needed tea. He reached the station with minutes to spare. A small group of teenagers passed noisily by, reminding Makoto of his own youthful days. 

Today had certainly been a day to reminisce, he mussed. He was only four years away from turning thirty, and although he had no regrets, he did often feel he was missing something. He’d spent everyday after he graduated high school working toward his father’s shop. He’d learned all he could from his dad in the mornings, and had kept himself busy with a part-time job at night. He had not even considered attending a University. All he had cared about -- all he still cared about -- was taking over the shop once his father could no longer work. It had happened a lot sooner than he had expected, but by the time his father needed him to replace him, Makoto had been ready and more than willing. 

He was pulled from his thoughts by the approaching train. Makoto stifled a yawn as the train stopped, its’ metal doors opening with a swish. He waited for the few passengers that were exiting to clear the area before he stepped inside. There were hardly any passengers left. In their small town not many people took the train at this hour, unless they were heading to-or-from work. He recognized a few faces, but didn’t want to participate in idle chat tonight. He moved toward the empty section of the train, well, almost empty as there was a man sleeping close to where he chose to sit. Makoto took off his jacket and placed it on the vacant space next to him, eyeing the snoozing man with mild curiosity. He couldn’t quite make out the man’s face as he was wearing a black cap and his jacket was pulled up over his mouth. He did however notice that the man had dark hair and had a smaller build than him. 

The train jerked then, sending Makoto forward with barely enough time to stop his nasty fall. He managed to keep his face from any damage, though an embarrassing squeak slipped from his lips, and he quickly settled back down, face coloring slightly. His eyes widened a fraction when he noticed that there was a pair of blue eyes watching him. The sleeping man was no longer sleeping. 

“Ah, good evening.” Makoto said, uneasily. The man’s eyes were narrowed and slightly bloodshot and his lips were pulled down in a grimace, a scraggly beard dusting his jaw. 

Perhaps, Makoto should have kept his mouth shut. 

The man grunted something in reply, Makoto did not catch if it was a greeting or simply something to brush him off. He was spared further humiliation when he heard an automated voice announcing that his’ was the next stop. Makoto stood abruptly and hastily made his way toward the train’s exit. Makoto was generally well-liked, but that didn’t mean he was popular, or even good at striking up a conversation with a stranger. He felt out of sorts when he wasn’t in his shop, where he knew exactly what to do and how to interact with his customers. 

Makoto’s hands clenched into fists when he heard the sounds of footsteps following him out of the train. Surely, it couldn’t be the strange man from before. No, Makoto was just being silly. 

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand fell unto his shoulder. 

“Hey.” The voice was rough and sent a shiver of dread down Makoto’s spine. He was about to scream bloody-murder when the heavy hand left his shoulder and the body behind him moved to face him. 

It was the strange man from the train… but there was something about him that felt oddly familiar. Makoto couldn’t quite put his finger on it. 

Makoto stared on as the man stifled a yawn. He watched the man rub a hand down his face, and was unsure of what to do when squinted, red eyes looked up at him. 

“Sorry for scaring you,” the man’s voice was a lazy drawl. He yawned again, and Makoto blinked.

“Would you happen to know if there’s a hotel around here?” The question was so unexpected that Makoto was left staring blankly at the stranger. The stranger raised an eyebrow in question. 

“A-ah, yes, um, the only hotel is actually four stops from the direction you came in.” Makoto explained after he composed himself. 

“Shit.” The man grumbled, pressing the palms of his hands to his eyes. He looked exhausted and frustrated. 

“If you’d like,” Makoto began, hesitantly. “there is a woman who lives nearby that takes in travelers. She’s kind, and doesn’t charge much, or so I’m told. I could show you where--” 

“Yeah, alright.” The gruff voice cut Makoto off. Makoto nodded, turning on his heel and walking the familiar path to elderly woman’s house. He didn’t quite like the other man’s rude demeanor, but Makoto wanted to believe that there was a reason behind it. People weren’t inherently mean after all, at least Makoto didn’t think so. The man kept silent for most of the way, only grunting out his name when Makoto asked for it. Nanase Haruka. Haruka…Nanase… yes, that was definitely familiar. Yet, Makoto was unable to recall anything related to his past with that name. 

By the time they reached the woman’s house, Makoto was nearly biting his nails. He was not used to a person who shot down all of his attempts at conversation -- even when he was terrible at it -- and only glared up at him. He was also desperate to know why this man’s name and eyes felt familiar to him. Makoto sighed. All he really wanted was to go home and rest.

The elderly woman was leaning against the gate that lead to her house, talking animatedly with a neighbor. As soon as she spotted him she broke her conversation with the other woman and greeted Makoto with a warm smile.

“Good evening, Makoto-chan.” The woman said. 

“Good evening, Nakajo-san. I hope you’re doing well.” Makoto felt his anxiousness ebb away with the presence of a friendly face. They exchanged pleasantries briefly before Makoto gestured toward the dark-haired man. Nakajo-san eyed the man up and down, mouth set in a thin line. Makoto was caught between wanting to leave and not being able to step away from the scene. 

“Well, if Makoto-chan brought you here, then I suppose you’re a trustworthy fellow.” The woman mussed, nodding her acceptance. Makoto’s wide eyes shifted from the woman to the man, Nanase. His words caught in his throat, only a soft breath whooshing past his lips. He didn’t actually know anything about the man, so who was he to know if the man was trustworthy or not. He certainly didn’t look like a delinquent, although his attitude wasn’t all that charming. That, however, didn’t mean the man was a bad person. 

“Makoto…” Nanase murmured, eyes fixing themselves on Makoto’s face. Makoto’s back tensed when the scrutinizing gaze froze on him. Something very far back in Makoto’s mind piqued at the way Nanase said his name. The moment passed when Nanase turned away, giving a clipped thank you before he disappeared inside the woman’s house. 

“Serious one, is he?” The woman chuckled. Makoto smiled back, still a bit uneasy.

“Thank you for taking him on so late, Nakajo-san.” Makoto bent his head forward.

“I still have two rooms left, so it’s no problem at all.” The woman replied, waving away his comment. With that the woman shooed him away. Makoto waved goodbye and began his trek home, feeling more like himself as he walked the familiar path home. 

…

As soon he arrived at his small, but cozy, one-bedroom house, Makoto’s legs were assaulted by three attention-seeking cats. The cats meowed and purred, rubbing their noses all over Makoto’s legs. Makoto chuckled as he took of his shoes and neatly placed them by the door. 

“Hey, hey, you’ll make me fall.” He said as he moved from the entrance to the living room, all the while being chased by his cats. He had two female cats, named Aya and Eri, who were an orange tabby and a black spotted short-haired, respectively. The youngest cat, whose fur was a solid grey, was male, who he named Nao. They were all strays he’d picked up and fell in love with. 

After they got their fill of head rubs, the three cats dispersed, allowing Makoto to freely move around again. He picked up the remote control from the center table and turned on his TV, serving as background noise while he went into the kitchen to prepare some tea. 

From the kitchen he could hear the scathing remarks of some celebrity gossip show. He didn’t usually watch that particular channel, but he’d been channel surfing yesterday and had left it on a movie that had caught his eye. 

_“Moving on to other news, popular “Honey for you” actor, Nanase Haruka, has disappeared!”_

Makoto rushed out of his kitchen, nearly burning himself, when he heard that name. He leaned against the backrest of his couch and gaped at the television when a picture of the man he’d encountered today popped up. The picture showed the man, without a beard and red-eyes, with his arms around a petite blonde, a small smile on his lips. 

_“The evening drama, as you all must know, is one of the highest rated in Japan. It stars the beautiful, Matsuri Yuna and the talented, but aloof, Nanase Haruka. Early this week, Nanase-san was seen leaving the set of “Honey for you” in a state of distress. No comments have been made by any other member of the cast, but “Love in Full Bloom’s” main actor, Matsuoka Rin was quoted as saying: ‘That idiot was bound to do something reckless.’ Nanase-san’s manager has also declined to comment.”_

Makoto jumped when loud knocking came from his front door. He didn’t move right away, too surprised at having discovered that he’d met a famous person today, even though he hadn’t actually known he was a famous person. Could that be where he had heard that name before? Maybe he had seen some magazine article with Nanase’s name and picture on it and that was why he seemed familiar. 

Brushing past those thoughts, Makoto moved toward the door when the knocking returned. It wasn’t too late at night, but it was still odd to receive a visitor at this hour. Makoto froze when he saw who was at the other end of the door. 

“Tachibana… Makoto Tachibana.” Makoto wasn’t sure what it was that jogged his memory, but once Nanase’s blue eyes met his it all came back. 

“Haru?” Makoto breathed out, finally recognizing the man. It had been years since he had last seen Haru. They’d both been 8 when Haru was pulled out of school and moved away from Iwatobi. 

Haru had been his first friend, his best-friend, but over the years the memory of him had faded. The face of the little boy becoming a fuzzy image in the back of Makoto’s mind. 

“I wasn’t sure… you looked different,” Haru mumbled, dragging his hands down his face, “You got bigger.” 

Makoto nearly laughed, of course, he’d been much smaller when they were kids. He stepped aside to let the raven through, and showed him to his living room. 

“Um, how did you find where I live?” Makoto asked as Haru sat down on his couch.

Haru yawned before replying, “I asked the old woman. Told her I forgot to give something back to you.” 

“Oh.” Makoto looked away, teeth finding his bottom lip. 

_“…as of today no one knows where Nanase-san is, but our guess is he’s traveled outside of Japan. Perhaps, some tropical paradise.”_

_“What nerve, though! To leave just in the middle of the drama’s production, surely now they won’t be able to continue filming until he is found and brought back. That is very unprofessional.”_

_“He is one of the most talented actors, and his popularity is quite high, but perhaps his ego has also grown, no? He must think he can do anything he wants without repercussion. We mustn’t forget that incident when he refused--”_

Makoto clicked off the TV before he heard anything else. 

“That’s you they’re talking about, right?” Makoto asked, already knowing the answer. Haru nodded silently. 

“I don’t want to go back.” Was the last thing Haru said before he fell asleep, slumped against the armrest of Makoto’s couch. Makoto was unsure of what to do as he watched the snoozing raven. He didn’t have the heart to wake him up, as he had looked and sounded so exhausted. However, he was extremely confused as to why Haru was here. With all the years they hadn’t heard about each other, they may as well be strangers. 

A soft meow caught his attention then. Aya, the oldest of his cats, was at Haru’s feet, gazing up at the unknown person. Makoto stood, careful not to disrupt Haru and went to fetch him a blanket. He probably wouldn’t get the best rest on the couch, but Makoto had no where else to take him. Besides, he didn’t want the other to wake up, he really did look like he needed a few days-worth of sleep. As he came back into the living room, blanket in hand, he couldn’t help but feel just like when he’d taken in his stray cats. 

Makoto’s lips curved into a smile as he placed the blanket over Haru’s form, briefly wondering how much his normal, every-day life would change now that he had a famous actor sleeping on his couch.

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter will probably be posted next week, that is if Free!'s final episode doesn't destroy me. Hope you stick with me through this strange little story.
> 
> Thanks for reading, leave a comment if you'd be so kind!


End file.
